History and Mission

The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO^® ) established the Education and Research Foundation in 1990 to fund compelling needs in ophthalmic medical assisting, i.e., expansion of training programs through scholarships, development of certification in subspecialties, and continued research into psychometric methods of testing and simulation of tasks critical to ensure valid and reliable examinations.

The mission of the Foundation is: To expand and strengthen the delivery of eye care.

Since 1991, the Foundation has awarded $743,490 in 890 grants to students in training programs; continuing education (CE) scholarships to attend JCAHPO- or ATPO-sponsored CE programs; and certification scholarships to assist with examination fees for those wishing to enter or advance in the field. The Foundation has also assisted with financial support for development of a computer simulation for the COT Skill Evaluation; and development of JCAHPO Learning Systems^® and JCAHPO & CLAO Contact Lens Learning Systems^®, computer-simulated training tools for ophthalmic allied health personnel.

In 2010, the JCAHPO Education and Research Foundation awarded 74 scholarships totaling $32,600:

• $15,500 to 23 students in accredited training programs for ophthalmic assistant, technician, technologist, and orthoptist
• 13 Continuing Education Scholarships totaling $3,400
• 35 Certification Scholarships totaling $9,450
• Harold Stein Prize for Best Scientific Paper - 2 Winners totaling $2,750